A nice waiting room in Oslo

Oslo Central Station (Oslo S) is the main railway station in the Norwegian capital. It is centrally placed in Oslo with tram, metro and bus connections nearby. The railway station is also the terminus for the Airport Express Train, Flytoget.

Oslo S has several cafes and restaurants. In the oldest part of the station, Østbanehallen, you can find two pubs. The most interesting of them is Kristiania. Named after Oslo's former name, Kristiania used to be the large waiting room at the railway station. These days it is a combined restaurant and pub.

Kristiania is based in a big and spacy room. The ceiling is high above, and the interior seems classy and beautiful. Some of the feeling of being at an old railway station is kept, and it is interesting sitting at the bar enjoying the architecture.

Like most pubs in Norway, pale lagers are kings at Kristiania. Draughted Hansa beer from Bergen and Heineken made on licence in Norway seem to be the biggest sellers based on the evening I was there earlier this month. From tap there is also Murphy's stout and Erdinger wheat beer together with a beer of the month.

On my visit the monthly beer was Samuel Adams' Boston lager. I like this beer a lot, and it was the best draught beer offer at Kristiania that day. In the glass this was a golden lager with some carbonation and a nice head. I felt grapefruit in the nose, while the taste of toffee, grapefruit and a touch of lemon dominated in the mouth before a bitter finish. This was a lovely lager, and I hope to find it soon elsewhere in Norway.

Kristiania is the best place to drink beer at Oslo Central Station. The pub has a nice atmosphere, and the beer offers are better than what many other pubs and bars in Norway have on the menu.